Tie me up, tie me down: inhibiting RNA polymerase.
Mechanistic understanding of antibiotic action can yield crucial insights that aid in the design of new antibiotics. In this issue, Mukhopadhyay et al. (2008) uncover the mechanism by which the antibiotic myxopyronin inhibits bacterial RNA polymerase, suggesting a new target region in RNA polymerase for inhibitor design.
Sousa
Rui
R
Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA. sousa@biochem.uthscsa.edu
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry; D007783:Lactones / Q000494:pharmacology; D008958:Models, Molecular; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D007783:Lactones; D004247:DNA; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases